Friday Night Sew In–March 2012

I love it when everything flows together the way it should!  All the stars were aligned for a perfect sewing night or something because I got quite a bit accomplished. 

Here is the Birdie dress completed-

This is another Bonnie Blue pattern- it’s a 12 months and looks HUGE!  This may end up in the closet for next year- I hope not but I guess we will see! 

Here is the back view- I love these little dresses on babies!

 

This is my favorite part—I put this little tag in the back so when Daddy dresses Harper he knows that this is the back of the bloomers—we girls take it for granted how to  figure out front from back but I hear it’s confusing for Dad’s in the morning rush—so that tag is for you, Bryan!

 

Now on to some fun!  I pleated Harper’s Easter Dress last Sunday and then had a really long week - so nothing accomplished other than figuring out the floss I wanted to use—it’s an over-dyed cotton floss, 5 yards worth.  That sounds like a lot of floss but it’s quickly going away—I think I will end up smocking fewer rows than I originally planned.

The floss is variegated shades of aqua—that is Kendle’s favorite color and so pretty with Harper’s big blue eyes.  Next time I see something like this I need to buy more than one strand.  Don’t know what I was thinking—probably that it was pretty and it might just sit in my stash? I don’t even remember what it cost-  I think I bought it at Martha Pullen’s Sewing School more years ago than I care to remember!!

See all the pretty colors?  It looks kind of cool when it stiches in—Here are progress pictures thru the evening-

Everything will even out when I block it—which will hopefully be Sunday afternoon—

End of the evening—I need to get the fancy camera out to take close ups of the smocking—my sweet little Canon isn’t so sure about no flash and up close picture taking!

Here is a picture of sweet Miss H taken a couple of weeks ago- she was quite delighted to pull up on my sewing room couch!

 

I have lots of time to smock and sew this weekend so fingers crossed nothing interferes with my plans.

Goodnight!  I am off to sneak in an episode of Downton Abbey- so glad I found a new series I like.  I should have waited for husband to watch it with me but with his work schedule right now I would never get the chance to see them! 

Setting up Windows Live Writer

Fingers crossed that this is an easy transition!  I probably should have waited until the weekend but I started “investigating” how to do it and it seems I have already done it!

I hope Photoscape is going to  be this painless too!  I am still mourning the loss of Picnik next month- I know enough about Photoshop to know I don’t know enough to use it on a sporadic basis—I  will learn it when I retire someday!  ( Husband- do not panic—that is in the faraway future!)

Counting down to Friday Night Sew In time—I am kind of burnt out on Chinese food so maybe some good Texas barbeque will hit the spot!  I won’t know until I am driving home what I will want- Now I am wishing I didn’t put those Super Sugar Crisps back on the shelf at the grocery store last night—sadly, I am long past the days when my waistline can stand a box of sugary cereal for dinner—because I can’t eat just a bowl- it’s like potato chips, one bite and the bag is gone!

My To-Do List for March

It's a good day when I have time to clean and organize the sewing room for the next group of projects.  The most pressing issue was getting the floors vacumned- Harper likes to put everything in her mouth now- I can't do much about the cat hair, or the fact that she loves to crawl into the cat's bed, but I can make sure there isn't anything too dangerous on the floor, like pins.  Her Poppy has had more than his fair share of pins in his feet and I sure don't want to hear him if Harper finds one!  I want her to be able to visit my sewing room so I am making every effort!  My girls knew from an early age what they could and couldn't touch and I expect the same for Miss H!

Here is a sneak peak at what is on the table for March sewing--

So far, no plans for Japanese fabric on the left- I am thinking the scale is a little big for right now- this one may be put up for next summer.

The bundle of fabric at the top is going to have a watermelon pocket on it-- perfect for hot summer days!  The fabric is white pique, a dream to sew with- the green polka dot will be facings and a hem band-- lots of detail but I think it will go together quickly.

This little dress will be first on my list-- I need a down and dirty, quick and easy project and this one fits the bill!  I  traced the pattern last night and cut it out so it is ready to go!

I think Harper is going to look so cute scampering around in this all summer!!

When I got this fabric, I had no idea it would end up on the cover of Sew Beautiful this month-- it's a rather bold dress so I have decided to make it in a 3T-- babies get to be babies for such a short time- I don't want to rush it!!  This will be a project to come back to when I need a little something different!

I hope to get some pictures of these garments on an certain little girl-- can't wait!

Tomorrow is Leap Year Day!  I think I should be able to stay home and sew since it's really an extra day :)

Friday Night Sew In- February

My evening started off on a good note--- with a fortune like this I knew I would get alot accomplished!

I am making another summer dress for Harper, Lizzy by Bonnie Blue Designs.  I loved the capped sleeves and the pleats- a little more tailored than ruffles and a nice change of pace sewing- wise!

During the week, I traced the pattern and sewed the pleats, made the piping and sewed the side seams together.  I did the front pleats a couple of times-- nothing dramatic but it drives me crazy when things are a stitch "off".  Maybe silly considering Harper drools on the front of everything!??

Here is the piping pinned onto the skirt.

Piping on skirts complete.  I went on to pipe the square neckline-- I like how it adds a nice detail but square necks are always a pain to pipe and I am not sure it was worth the extra effort.  In small sizes this is a pretty narrow bodice!

I lined the sleeves and bodice with a layer of white Imperial Broadcloth- I needed to do this so the pink pin dot lining wouldn't show thru the fashion fabric.  It also adds a nice amount of body so the dress hangs very nicely from the bodice.

Almost done!  I need to hem and sew the buttonholes and buttons on the back-- cute detail- it buttons all the way up the back.

Close up of front bodice-- I love the pink lining!

Close up of sleeve and tucks.

Pattern and fabric are from my favorite local source, Bessie Mary.  Jan does a wonderful job matching up linings and buttons and piping!  I was originally going to pipe this in pink but Jan had wrapped my purchases in an avocado green bias trim so I used that to make my piping-- I think it added the right amount of "pop" and satisfied my heirloom sewing urges. 

My sewing table is suddenly overflowing with projects.  I need to draft a pencil skirt for Allison and of course, there are several more outfits for Harper.  Good thing I am up early this Saturday morning!  It's raining so no outside run today.  Lucky me-- playing with the sewing machines sound alot better than the treadmill!

At last! Baby Frannie by Children's Corner is Complete

It's a good thing I know how to sew because this pattern had some wacky instructions!  I ended up watching a you-tube video that the pattern maker put out to explain the directions-- it does make sense on the video- problem is the written directions weren't the same as the pattern sheet! 

I won't forget how to do it again, so it was time well spent.

 I made this in a 12 months size-- it doesn't seem much " too big" for Harper right now-- with temperatures in the 70's in Texas she may get to wear it sooner rather than later. 

I omitted the ties under the arms and used elastic instead- she is thinking about crawling and I didn't want anything to get in her way! 

I feel so much better today-- took it easy this weekend and spent all day Sunday in the sewing room.  It's even cleaned up and ready for the next project-- I need to decide what is us next!

Friday Night Sew In- January

My Friday Night actually started in the afternoon- I wasn't feeling well so I decided I should get some things done before I took a nap!  Good thing I did because before the day was over I would have medicine for both acute bronchitis and the flu!  I must have a really mild case of the flu because I feel pretty symptom-less-- or maybe Tamiflu is the best thing ever--


I am using the  Children's Corner pattern, Baby Frannie and an applique kit from Ellen McCarn via 1995.  ( what can I say- I bought it when Kendle was 15 knowing we would have a girl to sew for someday!)

So far, I have cut the body fabric out and completed the machine applique-- haven't machine appliqued in about 10 years or more but it came back-- it's not perfect  but it's certainly acceptable.

My husband gave me this handy dandy little light from Nancy's Notions for Christmas-- It sticks anywhere you want and it is a livesaver for my eyes that need new glasses!

My embroidery box of threads was very useful- the hardest part here was having too many choices!

I finished up the day with the front applique done- next I need to add green rick rack as trim and construct the dress.  I need to stash dive and find my white imperial batiste for lining and make the cording for the piping.  I hope to feel good enough to complete it this weekend.

A Little Friday Night Sewing

What a great Friday night--  I went to see Breaking Dawn with Kendle-- this time we were second in line-- I think alot of people had seen the midnight showing-- totally enjoyed it and now begins the wait for Part 2!

I used to do most of my sewing late at night and I wasn't sure how it was going to be starting out at 10:00-- but just like riding a bike, it's still natural to me!  First I whipped out a couple of flannel pillowcases for Kendle-- thought I was being so smart making two of them-- later realized it was a directional print which explains the extra fabric!  Oh well, they will be sleeping, right? 

I considered embroidering their names on the band but didn't want to call late at night to see who slept on what side of the bed-- wanted the names on the right side-- I get stupid that way!  Rationalized that no embroidery meant Baby Harper could have one when she got bigger!

Next up on my list of things to do was to re-hem this little dress I made for Allison about 22 years ago-- she and Caitlin had matching dresses-- this one will fit Harper so she will be getting her picture made soon! 

If you look closely you can see Santa was missing his pompom on his hat-- pompoms and bunny tails seem to have not survived the girls childhood-- I have several more dresses in need of this kind of repair-- I will do that as Harper grows into them-- probably 15 or more have hems ripped out-- the girls played in these and I will  re-do and re-do as Harper rips them out too!

Here is Santa with his pompom!  Smocking plate is by Little Memories and is smocked on forest green micro-check.  The snowflakes have silver filament to make them shimmer but this camera couldn't capture that. His mustache is two long boullions.

Work has finally settled down so I spent time this weekend organizing-- Called ATT Uverse and they sent me the neatest wireless cable box- too bad I can't make it work-- will call them bright and early Monday morning-- I think they need to do something at their end.  I really missed having a TV in here so this is going to be great-- and Allison will appreciate it when she sleeps in here this week for Thanksgiving!

Here are parting shots of the ruffle panties-- thank goodness this still fit!  If I make them again I would do the elastic "my way" instead of the casings, stitch it directly to legs and have a self ruffle.